A New Orleans woman tested for the COVID-19 coronavirus, but died before she received her test results. On March 10, 39-year-old Natasha Ott showed symptoms of a cold, and less than two weeks later, her partner Justin Anderson found her dead in her kitchen. Anderson posted to Facebook and recounted the timeline of events, from Ott feeling the symptoms of a cold, to her being found unresponsive in her kitchen.

On March 10, Ott told Anderson that she had a “tiny fever” and a respiratory cold. Ott, who worked at Crescent Care as a social worker, didn’t get tested for the coronavirus as she was determined to be low-risk. However, Ott got tested for COVID-19 on March 16 as her symptoms did not subside. Ott was told that it would take up to five days to receive the results of the test.

A few days later, on Thursday, March 19, Ott told Anderson she felt like she had “something” in her lungs. She also said that her test results were going to be delayed until Monday.

The next day, Anderson went over to Ott’s house around 8 p.m. as she wasn’t answering his phone calls or messages — he found her dead in her kitchen. According to Anderson, Ott’s test results have still not come back.

Anderson finished his FB post by saying, “Our government is ill-prepared for this pandemic in a way that has and will cost lives. Cherish your loved ones like you could lose them, and let them know you cherish them”

Here is a picture of Ott and Anderson from Anderson’s Facebook account:

New Orleans Coroner Has Not Released the Cause of Death

Speaking with The New Orleans Advocate, Anderson said, “I believed that people should stay home, but I don’t think I fully understood what the consequences could be if they didn’t.” He also said that what happened to his girlfriend should be a wake up call about COVID-19.

Ott symptoms were a respiratory cold, fever and loss of appetite, and they lasted until her passing on Friday.

The New Orleans Advocate spoke with the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office, but they have not released here cause of death, and state officials have not said if they believe her death was due to COVID-19.

The CEO of Crescent Care, Noel Twilbeck, confirmed to The New Orleans Advocate that Ott died but declined to give any further details.